Recent developments in nanoscience have enabled cost effective manufacture of commercial quantities of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes that are best described as nanostructured chemicals due to their precise chemical formula, hybrid (inorganic-organic) chemical composition, large physical size relative to the size of traditional chemical molecules (0.3-0.5 nm), and small physical size relative to larger-sized traditional fillers (>50 nm).
The commodity nature of organosilane coupling agents makes them highly desirable for use as starting materials for nanoscopic POSS molecules. Prior art has taught the use of silane coupling agents in the formation of POSS cages (U.S. Pat. No. 6,972,312) and in the functionalization of POSS cages with reactive groups (U.S. Pat. No. 6,927,270).
This invention teaches continuous production methods for olefin bearing POSS and in particular vinyl POSS cages. This advancement was needed as vinyl silanes are the lowest cost reactive silane coupling agent and because vinyl POSS cages are highly desirable for chemical derivatization into other chemical groups. Applications for olefin POSS and its derivatives include improved composite resins, paints, coatings, adhesives, and surface properties, which lead to fire resistance, printability, biocompatibility, and permeability controlled, high Tg and heat distortion materials, glassification agents, printing aids, and nanofiltration materials.